The convergence of the television receiver and the personal computer has accelerated with the advent of the set-top computer systems. These systems, sometimes called set-top boxes, use a conventional analog or digital television receiver as a display for computer systems. In some cases, the set-top box sits on top of the television receiver. By combining the capabilities of a computer system and a television, the system may provide advanced television programming features, such as an electronic programming guide.
The set-top box may include personal video recorder (PVR) functionality. PVR is a generic term for a device that is similar to a video cassette recorder (VCR) but records television data in digital format as opposed to the VCR's analog format. A PVR allows a user to record a broadcasted program for later viewing. Unfortunately, the recorded broadcasted program includes the entire program of the original broadcast, including segments that a particular user may find undesirable. Undesirable segments may include commercials broadcasted with the program, repeated recaps of the program after commerical breaks that help the user who just tuned in to get a quick overview of the program, segments of the program that the user may not want small children to view, half time shows of sporting events, and so forth.